Device for controlling the rotation of the drum of an apparatus for dispensing wiping material

ABSTRACT

This device is notable in that the one-piece device ( 20 ) comprises, from a central sleeve tube ( 20   a ), three successive regions namely a first region (Z 1 ) corresponding to the pulley ( 15 ) that takes the drive belt, a second region (Z 2 ) that takes the friction means ( 18 ) for the roll of material, and a region (Z 3 ) intermediate between the regions (Z 1 -Z 2 )  
     and in that the region (Z 3 ) defined between the pulleys ( 15 - 16 ) which is mentioned above is arranged with a guiding and deflecting means ( 21 ) able to take the drive belt in an escape situation of the latter, in order to drive it naturally and through the combination of effects of slide slip and the rotation of pulleys automatically in the receiving groove made in the pulley ( 15 ) so that any escape of the belt from the pulley ( 15 ) towards the pulley ( 16 ) causes it to reposition itself in the groove of the pulley ( 15 ).

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of apparatuses for dispensing wiping paper made of cellulose wadding, crepe paper or similar materials intended more especially for wiping user's hands, dispensing toilet paper, and dispensing paper towels.

[0002] The applicant has developed and optimized a device for controlling the rotation of the drum in an apparatus for dispensing wiping material the characteristics of which are defined in French patent No 2743057.

[0003] A brief recollection of the design of the aforementioned apparatus will be given, on the basis of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, so as to demonstrate and expose the disadvantages related thereto in order to culminate in the subject of the invention.

[0004] The dispensing apparatus (1) comprises a casing (2), a cover (3), a drum (4), a copying device (5) built into the drum, a pressing element (6) and means for starting and returning the drum including an eccentric (7) and a spring (8). In its upper part, the casing has two end plates (2 a) able to accommodate a roll holder (9) or support end fittings for feeding a roll (B) of wiping material.

[0005] The drum (4) and the pressing element are also held between end plates (2 c-2 d) formed at right angles to the rear plane of the casing. The drum comprises a spindle extended at its ends to form, on the one hand, an operating knob, and, on the other hand, beyond the receiving end plate (2 c), an eccentric lever (7) able to accommodate the start and return spring (8). The assembly comprising the drum (4) and the pressing element (6) allows the web of paper to pass behind and be driven behind the drum so that it can be cut, the pressing element resting against the drum and the assembly rotating in the manner of gearing in the opposite direction.

[0006] A follower cylinder roller (10) is arranged in the bottom part of the casing and its purpose in particular, in a known way, is to protect the user's hands by being situated where the paper leaves the apparatus and to guide the paper as it leaves.

[0007] The device (12) for controlling rotation of the roll which device is claimed in patent FR 2743057 essentially comprises a cranked lever articulated at its base by its short flange (12 a) to the lower end plate (2 c) supporting the drum and presser roller. This lever is articulated to a spindle (11) fixed to the casing against the action of an elastic return means (13) one end (13 a) of which is fixed in the cranked inner part (12 b) of the lever and the other end (13 b) of which is fixed to the front of the end plate (2 c). At the upper end (12 c) of its arm (12 d) the lever is arranged directly by casting with a support spindle (14) the two pulleys or rollers (15 and 16) mounted to rotate freely on the support spindle. A small-diameter first pulley (15) is able to lie in the plane of a groove (4 b) formed on a cheek (4 c) attached to the facing end of the drum (4) to take a drive and connecting belt (17). The second pulley or roller (16) has a groove (16 a) able to take a snap ring (18) constituting a means that creates friction with the roll of material. This second pulley (16) is able to come to rest from behind against the roll of material (B) thus providing braking contact. The two pulleys (15-16) are fastened by wedges onto the same spindle and therefore driven in rotation simultaneously.

[0008] The roll of material when offered up into the apparatus urges the lever (12) via its pulley (16) and drives the backwards tilting of the said lever against the action of the aforementioned elastic return means (13). The travel of the lever is therefore established over a certain distance corresponding at least to the initial diameter of the roll to be functional from the time of its installation until this roll is used up. The pulley (16) forming a follower roller is always in contact with the roll of material because of the return effect of the elastic means. Advantageously, a projecting abutment point (12 e) is formed on the upper edge face of the lever for coming into abutment with the upper part of the end plate (2 c).

[0009] The device for controlling the rotation of the drum thus described operates satisfactorily under normal conditions of use and on pulling of the web of material by the user.

[0010] However, in practice, it has been found that the device was insufficient in at least two specific situations.

[0011] First of all, if the user pulls hard, this may cause the drive belt (17) to leave the part (15) that takes it and drop either into the resulting groove between the parts (15 and 16), The dispensing apparatus either jams or the drive belt no longer fulfils its role.

[0012] The second situation results from the very wide diversity of wiping materials themselves between European, American and other paper-product manufacturers. The papers are wound in rolls with a tightness that can vary, and the smoothness of appearance can also vary. Also, one and the same dispensing apparatus requires special arrangements specific to different ranges of paper. Hence, the applicant and its industrial partners exploiting patent FR 27403057 have found that the apparatus could break down if pulled hard and in the case of very smooth papers, with an identical effect, that is to say escape of the drive belt from its housing, causing the apparatus to stop working.

[0013] If it is considered that these types of apparatus are fitted in public places, it will be readily understood that it is necessary to set a good maintenance department in place, who can troubleshoot on site very quickly.

[0014] There is therefore a search for extremely reliable apparatuses.

[0015] The approach taken by the applicant has therefore been to look for a solution to the problem posed. The entire difficulty lay in the need not to modify the kinematics of the apparatus and of the device for controlling the rotation of the drum.

[0016] One possibility was to configure the apparatus in such a way as to limit the effects of users pulling hard, but this was not necessarily going to address the constraints regarding the qualities of the paper and of its properties.

[0017] Another possibility was to introduce a guide controlling the path of the drive belt.

[0018] In practice, this situation introduced further disadvantages involving reconfiguring the structure receiving the said device for controlling the rotation of the drum.

[0019] From these lines of enquiry, the applicant inclined towards another solution which seems, at the end of the day, simple to implement, is 100% effective, and does not jeopardize the design of the dispensing apparatus and the actual economy of the device for controlling the rotation of the drum.

[0020] The inventive step taken by the applicant was therefore to bring in the derailleur concept well known in the design of bicycles which are all equipped with a derailleur to position the bicycle chain appropriately according to the conditions of use.

[0021] Of course, this concept had to be adapted to suit the particular application of wiping paper dispensing apparatuses.

[0022] Thus, according to a first feature of the invention, the device for controlling the rotation of the drum of an apparatus for dispensing wiping material comprising, from a support spindle (14) a pair of pulleys (15-16) mounted to rotate freely, the first pulley (15) being associated by the drive belt (17) with the drum, is notable in that the one-piece device (20) comprises, from a central sleeve tube (20 a), three successive regions namely a first region (Z1) corresponding to the pulley (15) that takes the drive belt, a second region (Z2) that takes the friction means (18) for the roll of material, and a region (Z3) intermediate between the regions (Z1-Z2). The region (Z3) defined between the pulleys (15-16) which is mentioned above is arranged with a guiding and deflecting means (21) able to take the drive belt in an escape situation of the latter, in order to drive it naturally and through the combination of effects of slide slip and the rotation of pulleys automatically in the receiving groove made in the pulley (15) so that any escape of the belt from the pulley (15) towards the pulley (16) causes it to reposition itself in the groove of the pulley (15).

[0023] According to another feature of the invention, the deflecting means is produced in the form of a frustoconical part the base of which is situated against and starts from the part receiving the friction means that rubs against the roll of material, and the vertex of the said frustoconical part is adjacent to and protrudes into the upper part of the pulley that takes the drive belt.

[0024] These characteristics and others still will become clearly apparent from the remainder of the description.

[0025] In order to set its subject, the invention is illustrated non-limitingly in the figures of the drawings in which:

[0026]FIG. 1 is a view of a wiping material dispensing apparatus according to the prior art defined by Patent FR 2743057.

[0027]FIG. 2 is a part perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 of Patent FR 2743057.

[0028]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of all the pulleys described in the aforementioned patent.

[0029]FIG. 4 is a front view of the set of pulleys described in the aforementioned patent.

[0030]FIG. 5 is a view of the apparatus equipped with a device according to the invention to eliminate the escape of the drive belt.

[0031]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention in a first implementation in the form of two profiled guiding and deflecting platelets. In this view, the device is shown in such a way as to demonstrate the positioning of two platelets.

[0032]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of the device, but this one orientated at 900 to show the guiding and deflecting function.

[0033]FIG. 8 is a view in section on 8-8 of FIG. 7.

[0034]FIG. 9 is a view of an alternative form in which the device has a means for guiding and deflecting the belt in a frustoconical configuration.

[0035]FIG. 10 is a view in section on 10 ⁻¹⁰ of FIG. 9.

[0036] In order to make the subject of the invention more concrete, it is now described in a non-limiting manner illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

[0037] With regards to the earlier description of the apparatus in terms of its main components and in terms of the device controlling the rotation of the drum, the remainder of the present description will relate only to the device for guiding and deflecting the drive belt with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10.

[0038] Thus, the device referenced overall as (20) is produced as one piece to fit onto the articulation spindle (14) of the angle (12). It comprises, from a central sleeve tube (20 a) three successive regions namely a first region (Z1) corresponding to the pulley (15) that takes the drive belt (17) in normal situations, this region (Z1) being defined by the outer cheek (20 b) and an inner cheek (20 c) and between the two the groove (20 d) for the said belt. At the other end, the body has the region (Z2) that takes the friction means (18) for the roll of material, this region being defined by the end cheek (20 e) and the inner cheek (20 f) opposite. The region (Z3) which is intermediate between the regions (Z1-Z2) is thus arranged with a guiding and deflecting means (21) which is inclined from the region (Z2) to the region (Z1) in a degressive dimensional configuration to end at the region (Z1) at the location of the inner cheek (20 c) and open automatically into the groove (20 d).

[0039] This deflecting means therefore has a conical profile and can be produced in various ways as depicted in FIGS. 6 to 10 of the drawings.

[0040] In the configuration of FIGS. 6 to 8, the guiding and deflecting means comprises, in the region (Z3) and on each side of the central sleeve tube that passes through, two profiled platelets (22) arranged parallel and formed between the inner cheeks (20 c) and (20 f). The ends (22 a) of the said platelets meet the cheeks (20 c) and (20 f) and are chamfered at the ends to form a ramp. The cheeks (20 c) and (20 f) have different diameters, the cheek (20 f) being larger and the other (20 c) being smaller. There is therefore the formation of conical configuration which allows the drive belt to slip and be deflected naturally if this drive belt positions itself in the region (Z3). The assembly may be produced as one piece.

[0041] In the alternative form of FIGS. 9-10, the region (Z3) is closed in full by a cone shape so that the desired effect is the same. The assembly is made of one piece.

[0042] In another version, not illustrated, the guiding and deflecting means may be produced from spacer pieces arranged uniformly between the cheeks (20 c) and (20 f) at the periphery thereof.

[0043] The advantages are clearly apparent from the invention. Emphasis is placed on the simplicity of the novel design of the device for automatically guiding and deflecting the drive belt to constantly return it to the correct position. This is performed naturally by the rotating action of the drum without manual intervention of the operator within the apparatus.

[0044] This improvement is particularly advantageous to the operational reliability of the apparatus. 

1. Device for controlling the rotation of the drum of an apparatus for dispensing wiping material comprising, from a support spindle (14) a pair of pulleys (15-16) mounted to rotate freely, the first pulley (15) being associated by the drive belt (17) with the drum, characterized in that the one-piece device (20) comprises, from a central sleeve tube (20 a), three successive regions namely a first region (Z1) corresponding to the pulley (15) that takes the drive belt, a second region (Z2) that takes the friction means (18) for the roll of material, and a region (Z3) intermediate between the regions (Z1-Z2) and in that the region (Z3) defined between the pulleys (15-16) which is mentioned above is arranged with a guiding and deflecting means (21) able to take the drive belt in an escape situation of the latter, in order to drive it naturally and through the combination of effects of slide slip and the rotation of pulleys automatically in the receiving groove made in the pulley (15) so that any escape of the belt from the pulley (15) towards the pulley (16) causes it to reposition itself in the groove of the pulley (15).
 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the region (Z1) is defined by the outer cheek (20 b) and an inner cheek (20 c) and between them the groove (20 d) for receiving the drive belt, in that the region (Z2) is defined by the end cheek (20 e) and the inner cheek (20 f), the intermediate region (Z3) being arranged with the guiding and deflecting means (21) inclined from the region (Z2) to the region (Z1) in a degressive dimensional configuration to end at the region (Z1) in the location of the inner cheek (20 c) and open into the groove (20 d).
 3. Device according to either one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the guiding and deflecting means (21) is produced in the form of a frustoconical part the base of which is situated against and starts from the part receiving the friction means that rubs against the roll of material, and the vertex of the said frustoconical part is adjacent to and protrudes into the upper part of the pulley that takes the drive belt.
 4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the guiding and deflecting means comprises, in the region (Z3), on each side of the central sleeve tube, two profiled platelets (22) arranged parallel and formed between the inner cheeks (20 c) and (20 f), the ends (22 a) of the said platelets meeting the cheeks (20 c) and (20 f) and being chamfered at the ends.
 5. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the guiding and deflecting means is produced from spacer pieces arranged uniformly between the cheeks (20 c) (20 f) around the periphery thereof. 